Tangshan Sanyou's new facility includes a pilot line with the capacity to process 10 tonnes (t), which will focus on testing a solvent-based method that transforms waste cotton textiles into viscose fibres.

These fibres are intended for incorporation into the company's recycled MMCF product, ReVisco.

The establishment of this test facility is the latest effort by Tangshan Sanyou to embed Next Generation (Next Gen) fibre technologies into its MMCF product range.

Since 2018, the company has been experimenting with various recycled textile materials to facilitate a shift towards circular, more sustainable and lower-impact fibre production.

Tangshan Sanyou became the first conventional MMCF producer to integrate Circulose recycled cotton pulp at a 30% blend into its ReVisco viscose staple fibre line. The initiative also encompasses the creation of black viscose and explorations into other colour options.

The company also renewed its collaboration with Circulose following changes in ownership as the partner aims to restart operations at its Swedish mill.

As part of its Next Gen work, Tangshan Sanyou used 20% of Södra’s OnceMore recycled cotton pulp blend into ReVisco modal and viscose fibres.

It also announced plans to expand ReVisco production capacity to 200,000t annually depending on market demand, developing ReVisco lyocell from recycled textile materials and successfully producing viscose fibre using alternative raw materials such as hemp and Juncao.

Based in Hebei Province, China, Tangshan Sanyou has an annual production capacity of 808,000t.

Since 2016, the company has been a partner of Canopy and received a Dark Green Shirt in Canopy’s 2024 Hot Button Report and is recognised as posing no known risk of sourcing from ancient or endangered forests.

Canopy founder and executive director Nicole Rycroft said: “As one of the world’s largest MMCF producers, Tangshan Sanyou’s investments in circularity and reducing reliance on forest-based inputs are critically important. The company has demonstrated consistent leadership since the early days of Next Gen innovation, and this new testing line is a welcome addition to the sector’s broader transition to commercial-scale Next Gen MMCF for global markets.”

Last month, Tangshan Sanyou Chemical Fiber forged a strategic alliance with recycled pulp producer Circulose to support the advancement and widespread adoption of Circulose while also elevating Tangshan Sanyou’s global presence.

"Tangshan Sanyou opens facility to drive circular MMCF innovation" was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand.